Ariel Winter Responds to Plastic Surgery Rumors and Body-Shaming Comments on Instagram

Kaleigh Fasanella

Ariel Winter is having one heck of a week, and it's not even halfway over yet. For starters, the Modern Family actor covered the winter 2019 issue of Pulse Spikes magazine wearing minimal makeup, showing off her freckle-spattered skin and falsie-free long lashes in a completely unretouched shoot. Aside from a soft layer of tinted lip balm, blush, and a hint of highlighter, Winter appears to be wearing no other makeup, which is decidedly different from the bold red-carpet beauty looks we're used to seeing.

Just a day after the star's 21st birthday, she took to Instagram to debut the gorgeous cover. "Thank you @pulsespikes! ❤️ Go to the link in my bio for the full article:) #PulseSpikes #PSUnretouched," she captioned the post. Naturally, fans flooded the comment section, sending messages of praise and adoration. "You truly are beauty defined in human form," wrote one commenter. "You're gorgeous! But more importantly, a good, kind woman who is very talented. Those eyes and freckles though... 😍," wrote another user. Some also thanked Winter for inspiring them to be confident and love the skin they're in.

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While this is a major moment for Winter, it sadly comes shortly after she was body-shamed by Internet trolls yet again. Just a few days ago, the actor posted a heartfelt Instagram photo for her good friend, in which she's shown posing in a plaid, formfitting jumpsuit for photo-booth-style pictures. As Glamour reported, people were quick to roll in with a circus of negative comments, including those laced with criticism of her body and accusations that she had undergone plastic surgery procedures.

"Now you're just another generic looking pretty girl in Hollywood. Shoulda stayed how you were" is just one example of the many disturbing comments from body-shaming bullies. Another wrote, "I'm sorry you felt the need to so dramatically change your appearance."

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Finally, one comment in particular prompted the actor to respond: "Nothing wrong with being honest and telling her we liked her better before 'the change' she was so beautiful before she started chopping up her body and if me saying so helps one girl out here to feel beautiful who's thinking of PS [sic] it's worth it," it read.

Despite the aforementioned demoralizing comment, Winter addressed the situation with total grace. "I appreciate you wanting to help girls love themselves the way they are, but you are also kind of cutting someone (me) down which isn't what I think you were trying to do?" she wrote. "I also didn't get plastic surgery. That is also not supportive of women if you're just assuming about the way they look," she added.

All this to say: It's incredibly frustrating that we still live in a society where folks' appearances are criticized and policed every single day (especially on social media). No one, celebrities included, deserves to be bullied for the way they look and what they decide to do — or not do — with their bodies. That being said, props to Winter for handling it like a pro and for defending herself again, even though she shouldn't have to.

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